VANCOUVER - Canada’s meat industry risks losing major Pacific Rim contracts because of the truckers’ strike at Port Metro Vancouver’s four container terminals, according to a Canadian Meat Council executive.

“The issue now is that our important customers on the Pacific Rim are not getting the product we’re committed to sell them,” Ron Davidson, the CMC’s director of international trade and government relations, said Thursday. “If you’re in the food business, you have to have supplies to put on the shelves. If Canada isn’t fulfilling the contract, you have to find the product from some other country.

“It (the dispute) really is having a major impact,” added Davidson, whose organization represents more than 50 federally-inspected meat packers and processors across Canada. “The stoppage has significantly interfered with the volume that we can ship.”

Davidson’s comments came as unionized container truck drivers said they will remain on strike at PMV despite an announcement Wednesday by the provincial government it’s drafting legislation forcing them back to work.

As well, PMV said there are signs that more truckers are returning to service the port, with just under 40 per cent of normal truck transactions taking place Thursday, the highest since the dispute began.

“It’s continuing to climb,” said PMV spokesman John Parker-Jervis, noting that there’s typically 3,500 transactions a day. “We were at 36 per cent (Wednesday) and down to 10 per cent a few weeks ago. We’re seeing an improvement and we hope it shows a desire to go back to work.”

Despite that, dozens of truck drivers marched in a circle at the port Thursday, waving placards and shouting, demanding the federal government negotiate with the more than 250 unionized and 1,200 non-union drivers so they can end the three-week work stoppage.

“The only way to solve this problem is to reach a negotiated settlement,” said Gavin McGarrigle, a spokesman for Unifor. “Members aren’t going to be swayed by threats and ultimatums. What we need is a fair contract.”

Davidson said about $29 million worth of Canadian beef and pork is typically delivered by truck weekly to PMV and shipped by container to Asian countries, although some is now being diverted to other markets including the U.S., Mexico and Europe.

Moving the meat by rail is not an option, he said, because of the volumes involved and competition for rail from other industries.

He said some meat is now being shipped through Tacoma, Wash., as well as eastern Canadian ports, but those ports can’t handle the volumes and it’s more expensive.

Meanwhile, as B.C. drafts back to work legislation for the union truck drivers, PMV has begun terminating licenses of the striking non-union drivers as part of a coordinated action that includes the port and the federal government.

McGarrigle said members will nevertheless continue to picket on Monday, as they’re in a legal position to strike and won’t be forced back to work at a port that is threatening “mass layoffs.”

The back-to-work legislation, which would not apply to the non-union drivers, will be introduced Monday and will include a 90-day cooling-off period.

The port said Wednesday that while it will begin its planned reform of the licensing system, between 100 and 150 truckers with licenses and permits that expire at the end of March and April were being notified that their licenses and permits will not be renewed. On Thursday, it was extended to license holders with expiry dates in May.

B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair said Thursday he was outraged by the port’s decision to terminate permits, adding that the port and the two levels of government should sit down with union and non-union drivers to hammer out an agreement.

“What you have here is a mass firing of workers by taking away their licenses,” said Sinclair.

Manny Dosange, spokesman for the non-union United Truckers Association, said the port won’t find any replacements for the drivers losing their licenses and permits.

Port president Robin Silvester said the port will continue to implement the 14-point Joint Action Plan drafted by mediator Vince Ready.

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Meat industry risks loss of clients due to truckers’ strike

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